Panoramic Vatican Tour: Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s & Guided Dome Climb
5 hours
Max 20
Why take this tour?
Highlights
- See St. Peter's, climb the dome, visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel all in one morning
- Take the St. Peter's Dome elevator up the first 320 steps to the terraces
- Visit the Vatican Museums with skip-the-line access
- Savor the splendor of the Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms, Bernini's Baldachin, and the Pieta
- Enjoy one of the best views in Rome from the St. Peter's cupola
- Sites Visited
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Dome of St. Peter's Basilica
- Michelangelo's Pieta
- Bernini's Baldachin
- St. Peter's Square
- Sistine Chapel
- Raphael Rooms
- Belvedere Courtyard with Ancient Greek & Roman sculptures
- Gallery of the Candelabra
- Gallery of the Maps
- Gallery of the Tapestries
- Tour Includes
- Skip-the-line Vatican Museums tickets
- Pre-reserved St. Peter’s Basilica tickets
- Elevator access to St. Peter's Basilica Dome terrace
- Expert Walks tour guide
- Headsets
Take it easy on our skip-the-line Vatican tour
Book Now
Total Customer Reviews: 1209
Verified Ratings
4.6 /5
based on 1209 Walks' reviews
Rating summary by category
Latest reviews
Great
This tour covered a lot and it was all amazing, but it was a lot of walking, so be prepared for that.
Verified · Deana · Sep 24, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Excellent
Our tour guide, Elizabeth was extremely knowledgeable and a very good guide. This tour is a must if you really want to see the Vatican.
Verified · Lisa · Sep 21, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Great
Elisabetha was a fantastic host. Extremely knowledgeable, and kept the group moving the whole time. Be prepared though- this is a very long tour with limited breaks along the way. Bring more water than you think you should, and some snacks if you can't go 6 hours without eating.
Verified · Jason · Sep 17, 2023 · Australia · Male · 45 to 54 years
Great
Our guide Ambra was very informative, she seemed passionate about art and history and led the tour in an informative and accessible way and we definitely got a lot more out of our visit because of her than we would have if we had done a self-guided visit. Thank you Walks and Ambra!
Verified · Cassandra · Sep 06, 2023 · Australia · Female · 25 to 34 years
Excellent
The guide was an absolutely wonderful guide!! Very entertaining and professional.
Verified · Ann · Aug 22, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Reviews from our guests
Panoramic Vatican Tour: Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s & Guided Dome Climb
Overall rating
4.6 /5
1209 Reviews
Guide 4.7/5
Guest Support
4.7/5
Verified guest reviews
Excellent 850
Great 270
Good 89
Average 0
Poor 0
Latest reviews
Great
This tour covered a lot and it was all amazing, but it was a lot of walking, so be prepared for that.
Verified · Deana · Sep 24, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Excellent
Our tour guide, Elizabeth was extremely knowledgeable and a very good guide. This tour is a must if you really want to see the Vatican.
Verified · Lisa · Sep 21, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Great
Elisabetha was a fantastic host. Extremely knowledgeable, and kept the group moving the whole time. Be prepared though- this is a very long tour with limited breaks along the way. Bring more water than you think you should, and some snacks if you can't go 6 hours without eating.
Verified · Jason · Sep 17, 2023 · Australia · Male · 45 to 54 years
Great
Our guide Ambra was very informative, she seemed passionate about art and history and led the tour in an informative and accessible way and we definitely got a lot more out of our visit because of her than we would have if we had done a self-guided visit. Thank you Walks and Ambra!
Verified · Cassandra · Sep 06, 2023 · Australia · Female · 25 to 34 years
Excellent
The guide was an absolutely wonderful guide!! Very entertaining and professional.
Verified · Ann · Aug 22, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Excellent
Ambra was great!
Verified · Caroline · Aug 18, 2023 · USA · Female · 35 to 44 years
Great
Great way to see some of the most famous sites. Lots of stairs, mainly spiraling staircases.
Verified · Sharon · Aug 01, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Good
We booked two tours with this company and both of them were cancelled or rescheduled to a whole different that I did not want to be on. Very disappointing
Verified · Joseph · Jul 16, 2023 · USA · Female · 25 to 34 years
Excellent
We really enjoyed this tour A LOT. Our guide was just perfect, telling interesting stories in an entertaining manner and throwing in a joke sometimes :-) He also gave very clear instructions, did a great job at time management and at keeping the group together.
The tour starts early and that is a great advantage. We got into the Basilic easily without long waits, and had the chance to explore on our own. We got to go to the dome, where you have a phenomenal panoramic view on the city.
Also for the Vatican museum we got to skip the long line. The museum was very very crowded as it is high season, but even though it was hard work, our guide still managed to make it a pleasurable experience by guiding us masterfully through the crowds and by continuing to entertain us with great information about the art works. Overal it was a very enjoyable experience and in my opnion the best and most comfortable way to visit the Vatican. Highly recommend.
Verified · Anne · Jul 11, 2023 · Belgium · Female · 25 to 34 years
Excellent
We had an excellent tour of St. Peters, The Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. Initially we were skeptical about starting out at 7:30 but when we entered the Vatican area, we immediately realized that if we hadn't started early, we may have been waiting hours to get in. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and gave us great information and history of the sites. The skip the line access was awesome, especially when we had to go to the museum. This was approximately a 5 hour tour and we were able to see everything that we wanted to see.
Verified · Suzanne · Jul 04, 2023 · USA · Female · 55 to 64 years
Meeting Point
Meeting Point
Piazza della Città Leonina, 5 (Caffè Leonina). Please meet your guide in front of the cafe. They will be holding a green Walks sign. The closest metro stop is Ottaviano
Please meet 15 minutes prior to the tour start time.
FAQs
Is this tour accessible for wheelchairs, strollers or for those with mobility impairments?
Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, or for wheelchairs or strollers. Please contact us at [email protected] so we can arrange your visit.
Does St. Peter's Basilica have a dress code?
Yes, although you aren't expected to dress as formally as if you were attending a mass. Unless you actually are attending a mass. The most important rule is NO SHORTS, that applies to both men and women. Shoulders must also be covered, so no tank tops. Small bags and umbrellas are permitted inside but large bags have to be checked at the entrance, next to the official audio-guides desk.
I am in a wheelchair/have a mobility impairment. Can I take this tour?
The Vatican Museums are equipped with elevators for wheelchair access, but they are not located on the group tour route. If you have a mobility impairment and/or use a wheelchair please contact our customer service department at [email protected] and we will be happy to work out a suitable alternative.
I want to take a selfie in the Raphael Rooms, can I bring my selfie stick?
No. Selfie sticks are strictly forbidden inside the Vatican Museums, along with flash photography. However, visitors are allowed to take non-flash photographs anywhere besides the Sistine Chapel.
What items can I NOT take into the Vatican Museums
Knives, scissors, and other cutting tools must also be deposited in the cloakroom as a precaution against harming the artwork inside. No hammers, either, as one was once used to smash Michelangelo's Pietá. This probably goes without saying, but firearms are also strictly prohibited for visitors within the Vatican Museums and you can't check them in the cloakroom.
I've heard the Vatican has a strict dress code. What should I wear?
It does, but it isn't anything too formal. The big rule is to make sure your shoulders and knees are covered - that applies to both men and women. Also remember that shorts of any length are not allowed at all in St. Peter's Basilica so if you are visiting both the Vatican Musuems and the Basilica, wear trousers or a long skirt. Occasionally visitors get away with wearing a bit less but it’s best not to risk it. Hats are also not allowed.
Walks cannot be held responsible for guests who are refused entrance due to inappropriate dress so please remember to cover up.
IMPORTANT: Can I bring a bag into the Vatican Museums?
Yes, as long as it's within a certain size. You cannot bring any bag, backpack suitcase or container larger that 40cm x 35cm x 15cm into the Vatican Museums. In fact, size limits apply to all items; because of the sheer number of people that visit the Museums, space is at a premium. You can’t enter with medium to large umbrellas, any umbrellas with spiked tips, camera tripods, signage (apart from signs used by certified guides) or walking sticks – except those required by disabled visitors.
All of these items can be left in the cloakroom, which is located at the entrance to the Museums. This means that you will need to walk 15 - 20 minutes back here after you finish your tour at St Peter's Basilica. On our afternoon tours you may need to leave the tour early to collect your bag before the cloakroom closes.
Why can't I take photos inside the Sistine Chapel?
When the chapel was restored in 1990 the biggest donors to the project (donating a whopping $4.2 million) were a Japanese television network. In return, they received exclusive rights to photograph and film inside and quickly banned any professional photographers from taking pictures. Although they didn't mind if tourists took photos, the Vatican guards decided to enforce the rule on everyone because it was impractical to differentiate between a normal visitor and who was a professional photographer. The Japanese network's exclusive contract has expired now but the rule persists. If you try to take any images in the Chapel Vatican, security is authorized to make you delete them.
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